Systems for activating electronic devices for operation with athletic equipment

• US 9,259,613 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US13/707,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Articles of clothing or pieces of athletic equipment include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the clothing or athletic equipment or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of clothing or piece of athletic equipment for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and clothing or piece of athletic equipment are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.

Claims

1. An athletic equipment system, comprising:

a piece of athletic equipment having a module securing element;

a module removably engaged with the module securing element, wherein the module includes an electronic device; and

an activation system that senses whether the module is engaged with the module securing element and activates at least a first function of the module when the module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element, wherein the first function of the module includes initiating selection of a data processing algorithm, wherein at least a first portion of the activation system is included with the piece if athletic equipment.

2. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of the activation system is included with the piece of athletic equipment and a second portion of the activation system is included with the module.

3. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the activation system includes a magnetic sensor system.

4. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the module securing element includes a receptacle defined on or in the piece of athletic equipment for removably receiving the module.

5. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the module includes a data input system for receiving input data in a wireless manner.

6. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a sensing element that senses at least one physical characteristic associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

7. An athletic equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the piece of athletic equipment is a bicycle.

8. An athletic equipment system, comprising:

a piece of athletic equipment having a module securing element;

a module removably engaged with the module securing element, wherein the module includes an electronic device; and

an activation system that senses whether the module is engaged with the module securing element in a first orientation and activates the module or at least a first function of the module when the module is engaged with the module securing element in the first orientation, wherein the activation system further senses whether the module is engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation, and wherein the module or at least the first function of the module is deactivated when the module is engaged with the module securing element in the second orientation.

9. An athletic equipment system according to claim 8, wherein the module or the first function of the module is not activated or is deactivated when the module is not engaged with the module securing element in the first orientation.

10. An athletic equipment system according to claim 8, wherein the module securing element includes a receptacle defined on or in the piece of athletic equipment for removably receiving the module.

11. An athletic equipment system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device includes a sensing element that senses at least one physical characteristic associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

12. An athletic equipment system according to claim 8, wherein the piece of athletic equipment is a bicycle.

13. An athletic equipment system, comprising:

a piece of athletic equipment;

a first module securing element included with the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the first module securing element includes structure for removably engaging a first module that includes a first electronic device; and

a first interaction system included with the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the first interaction system interacts with the first module when present in the first module securing element to induce a change detectable at the first module and

wherein the interaction between the first interaction system and the first module provides data processing algorithm selection information to the first module.

14. An athletic equipment system according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the first interaction system is located proximate to the first module securing element at least when the piece of athletic equipment is in use.

15. An athletic equipment system according to claim 13, wherein the first module securing element includes a receptacle defined in the piece of athletic equipment for receiving the first module.

16. An athletic equipment system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a second module securing element included with the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the second module securing element is independent of the first module securing element and includes structure for removably engaging a second module that includes a second electronic device.

17. An athletic equipment system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a second interaction system included with the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the second interaction system interacts with the second module when present in the second module securing element to induce a change detectable at the second module.

18. An athletic equipment system according to claim 13, wherein the first module is engaged with the first module securing element, and wherein the first electronic device includes a sensing element that senses at least one physical characteristic associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

19. An athletic equipment system according to claim 13, wherein the piece of athletic equipment is a bicycle.

20. A method of activating an electronic module, comprising:

engaging, in a first orientation, an electronic module with a module securing element provided in or on a piece of athletic equipment, wherein the module includes an electronic device;

automatically activating the module or at least a first function of the module in response to engaging the electronic module with the module securing element; and

deactivating at least a second function of the module in response to engaging the electronic module with the module securing element in a second orientation.

21. A method of activating an electronic module, comprising:

engaging an electronic module with a module securing element provided in or on a piece of athletic equipment at a first orientation, wherein the module includes an electronic device;

activating the module or at least a first function of the module when the first orientation corresponds to a predetermined activation orientation; and

activating at least a second function of the electronic module in response to engaging the electronic module with the module securing element in a second orientation.

22. A method for producing an athletic equipment system, comprising:

providing a first module securing element in or on a piece of athletic equipment, wherein the first module securing element includes structure for removably engaging a module with the piece of athletic equipment; and

providing a first interaction system in or on the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the first interaction system interacts with the module when the module is engaged with the first module securing element, wherein the interaction between the first interaction system and the module indicates at least one of;

(i) a type of athletic equipment for which the module is engaged and (ii) a location on the athletic equipment for which the module is engaged.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the first module securing element includes a receptacle at least partially defined on or in the piece of athletic equipment.

24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

providing a second module securing element in or on the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the second module securing element is independent of the first module securing element and includes structure for removably engaging a module with the piece of athletic equipment.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:

providing a second interaction system in or on the piece of athletic equipment, wherein the second interaction system operates, at least in part, to induce a change detectable at a module when a module is engaged with the second module securing element.

26. A method according to claim 22, further comprising engaging a module with the first module securing element, wherein the module includes an electronic device having a sensing element that senses at least one physical associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein the piece of athletic equipment is a bicycle.